


Overnight Travel

by Actaeon



Category: Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Genre: Brotp, Close Friendship, Fluff, Friendly banter, Gen, SO MUCH FLUFF
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-22
Updated: 2016-01-22
Packaged: 2018-05-15 12:31:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5785417
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Actaeon/pseuds/Actaeon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I don't know much about the protocol here," Malik said sheepishly, running her fingers across the back of her arm - not quite scratching, but soothing the suddenly tense muscle. They were seated on a crammed busline going from Detroit to Chicago, a rough five-hour drive that went over night.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Overnight Travel

**Author's Note:**

> I've been doing so many overnight bus travels recently. This was written on one of them.

"I don't know much about the protocol here," Malik said sheepishly, running her fingers across the back of her arm - not quite scratching, but soothing the suddenly tense muscle. This was slipping into date territory. Truth be told, she didn't mind, but she assumed that Jensen minded, and she really didn't want to be on his bad side if push came to shove.

To her relief, he just shrugged. 

"Me neither, flygirl."

They were seated on a crammed busline going from Detroit to Chicago, a rough five-hour drive that went over night. With Sarif Industries recovering like an old giant who had lost a limb, only to get it augmented by its very boss, things were beginning to look up; and yet still, there was no way David Sarif would just lean back and allow things to develop. Catching wind of the Modern Augmentation Conference in Chicago - by no doubt frequented by high-level members of the Illuminati - Sarif had decided not to go in person, but instead send his trusted secretary Athene, who was less likely to get into trouble while he kept planning behind the scenes. To make sure she was in good hands at the conference, he had asked Adam to follow her on another route, like an afterthought. You never knew with the likes of the Humanity Front in a building. 

And Malik? Malik was, officially, Adam's plus one - a fact that could make her blush like a schoolgirl if she dwelled on it. Unofficially, she had permission to charter a VTOL for their way back. One uncomfortable night was enough, after all. 

it wasn't that Sarif was a cruel man. Right?

The bus was filled with late-night travellers, most of which had seemed dead-set on sleeping through the few hours they had left even as the two sarif employees entered at their stop. The seating room had been scarce, but they managed to slip into a pair of moderately comfortable padded chairs in the back. For once, Adam appeared to be happy about his slighty-below-average heigth and slim build; a man of bigger proportions would have a hard time squeezing into the seat. Malik, being a small woman by nature and used to the crammed conditions of a small cockpit, looked far less unhappy by her predicament. She smiled at him as she slid into the seat next to him, both pretending to get comfortable.

GRanted, the issue of Adam's vivid nightmares still stood between them. Unlike many others Malik was aware of just how little sleep the man got. If he did, his nights were usually disturbed and fitful, ending more often than not with reactions bordering between despair and pure violence. And as trashing the bus wasn't on their agenda, Jensen appeared even more tense to her than usual.

Almost carelessly, Malik rested her hand on his arm, well aware that his brain still registered the feeling. "It's okay," she muttered to no-one in particular, knowing he'd pick up every single whisper she did. "One night. Think we manage that without you taking me out?"

the dry humor always got through to him, and Jensen chuckled as he moved a little, body edging closer to her side, their legs pressing together as a single point of contact. Cool, heavy, but somewhat familiar, somewhat home. 

"Mh. Don't know. What if i planned on taking you out all along?" he said smugly, and Malik felt her face heating up. Curse him for making a double entendre out of this.


End file.
